Dear Daughter
by lcdrsuperseal
Summary: Steve never expected to be told that after getting into trouble in her latest mission, Cath had gone into labour at 25 weeks. When he asked what it had to do with him, Steve nearly dropped his phone on his face when the officer explained that he was listed in Cath's medical records as the father of her child. Eventual McDanno
1. Chapter 1

Steve sighed as Danny slumped against him as the plane touched down in Kabul, Afghanistan. He didn't know how the blonde man could have slept on the journey, but then again he wasn't the one who had that phone call in the middle of the night.

Steve knew it was never going to be good when Catherine's commanding officer introduced himself after apologising for the wake up call, but he never expected to be told that after getting into trouble in her latest mission she had gone _into labour at 25 weeks._ When he asked what it had to do with him, Steve nearly dropped his phone on his face when the officer explained that he was listed in Cath's medical records as the father of her child.

Steve wasted no time in throwing on whatever clothes he could find and shoving some more into an old rucksack, but then he came to a standstill.

Cath was having a baby. _His baby._ And he didn't know much about this sort of thing but he knew that 25 weeks wasn't the right time to give birth.

He panicked as he rang Danny, who thankfully didn't have his children that week as they were on holiday with Rachel in England. When the blonde man pulled up Steve was already waiting outside his house and didn't speak to him until they were on the plane, Steve having pulled a few strings with an old Navy buddy.

Once they were in the air Danny convinced Steve to tell him everything, and was shocked that Steve had no idea about Cath's pregnancy, but he was more angry at Cath for not telling him that she was pregnant.

"Thank you for coming with me, Danno," Steve said after he'd finished telling his story, looking at his partner like he'd only just realised that he was next to him. "I don't… don't know what's gonna happen."

Danny put a hand on Steve's knee and smiled as he squeezed it. "That's what family does, right?"

* * *

Fortunately the hospital that Cath and the baby were in was only a short taxi ride from the strip of land that the plane landed on, and before he knew it Steve was bursting through the main entrance doors and rushing up to the reception desk.

"Hi, my friend was brought here a few hours ago I think? Lieutenant Catherine Rollins?"

"Commander McGarrett?" Steve turned his head as a man in scrubs approached him.

"Yes, who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Shah, part of the team that worked on Lt. Rollins. She's recovering on a ward and should make a full recovery eventually, but...your baby... "

Danny was alarmed at how quickly the colour drained from Steve's face. "What's happened to my baby?" He asked with a strangled voice, and Danny slipped his hand into Steve's and squeezed it as a show of support.

"Being born at 25 weeks is not good, as I'm sure you may gave guessed. But she went straight to our Neonatal ICU - the NICU - and she'll likely stay there for a few months."

"'She'? It's a… it's a girl?" Steve glanced at Danny, who smiled at him reassuringly, before turning back to the doctor. "But she's going to be okay, right?"

"It's going to be a tough battle, Commander. But rest assured our doctors and nurses are specially trained to look after premature babies." Dr. Shah flicked through the notes he was holding and raised an eyebrow. "Were you aware of Lt. Rollins decision regarding your baby?"

Steve frowned. A worrying feeling began to brew in his stomach - again. "No, I didn't even know that she was pregnant until just before I got on the plane…. What decision?"

"Right, well…" Danny could sense that whatever the doctor was about to say would not be well received, so he kept a hold of Steve's hand in case he needed to pull the man back. Just in case. "According to her notes, Miss Rollins was planning to give the baby up for adoption."

Steve may have been pale before, but now he was so white that Danny was worried that he was going to pass out. "No. She's not… not my baby." He whispered. "Can I see her? My baby, I need to see her. Please."

"Certainly, follow me. In regards to Lt. Rollins plans, that is something that the two of you will have to discuss and come to an agreement about."

Steve chased the doctor down the many twisting corridors until they came to a ward that seemed to be made almost entirely of glass walls. He and Danny were ushered over to one of the rooms, but as Steve was about to slide open the door he was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"Remember what I told you, Commander. Your baby is very sick due to being extremely premature. I know all the machines and noises may seem scary, but trust me, this is the best place right now for her to be." Steve nodded. "She's very small and under-developed, but hopefully with high intensive care she'll eventually get stronger."

"Okay… thank you." Steve could already feel the huge lump in his throat, and he hasn't even made it into the room yet.

He'd done many life-changing things in his career, but none of them came close to opening that door and the seemingly endless walk over to the see-through plastic incubator. Steve looked down and was quite confident that he felt his stomach sink.

The doctor said she was very small, but Steve couldn't believe how _tiny_ she looked. He held up his hands and reckoned that she was the same size as them. Her skin was slightly red and yellow, and her head looked too big for her body. She was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and machines pumping nutrition and medicine into her, and even a ventilator up her tiny nose to help her to breath. The baby looked lifeless, save for the rise and fall of her chest. But none of that mattered to Steve.

"She's beautiful." He breathed, and his hands twitched slightly towards her. That did not go unnoticed.

"I know you want to, Commander, but you can't hold her yet, not until she's stable enough to leave the incubator." The doctor said, not phased at all by the glare that she got in return from the tall man. "Trust me, right now that is the safest place for her."

Steve opened his mouth to ask more questions, but no sound came out. Fortunately Danny stepped in to take over. "Okay, so… what happens now? How long will she need to be here?"

"Well… that all depends on her. In my experience babies this premature will be here for at least a few months, usually until their original due date, which I know from the records is 3 months from now. She'll undergo tests almost every day to see how she's developing, and while she's in the incubator receive light therapy to treat the mild jaundice that is common for babies in this situation."

"Can I at least touch her?" Steve whispered, still looking down at his child. "Please.. I need to."

"I really do understand. There are portholes on the sides of the incubator, her skin is extremely sensitive to touch right now as it's still fragile and underdeveloped - that's why it's so red. But light touches wouldn't hurt, in fact it may help her." Danny glanced at Steve and watched as a flicker of hope could be seen in his eyes. "At the moment your baby can't open her eyes. But she can still feel you. So I absolutely encourage you to touch her - but not too much, and be sure to thoroughly sanitize your hands often so you don't spread germs. The incubator is pretty much soundproof, but I know some parents take comfort in still talking to their baby. Let her get to know your voice. Once she's stronger and able to regulate her temperature, then we'll start thinking about getting her out."

Steve nodded in thanks as the doctor left them too it, and Danny walked over to stand next to his partner and gaze down at the baby.

"She was going to give her away." Steve ground out as he placed a hand on the top of the plastic container, amazed at how his hand almost obscured his daughter. "Cath was going to give _my baby_ _girl_ away, Danny."

Danny shook his head in disgust, wondering what on earth could have made her think that Steve wouldn't care about his own child. She knew what a big deal family was to him. He turned to speak to Steve, but his expression darkened and suddenly his partner stormed out of the room and disappeared down the corridor. Danny ran a hand through his hair - definitely a lost cause by now - and sighed as he pulled up a chair and sat down beside Steve's sleeping daughter.

"I dunno what your Daddy is up to, but I doubt it's anything good, little lady."

* * *

After much persuasion (and okay maybe he also flashed his badge), a nurse on another ward finally let Steve into Catherine's room. She was surprised to see him but one look at the expression on his face kept her from speaking. Steve made no movement towards her bed, choosing instead to lean back against the opposite wall, his lips pursed as he tried to string together a sentence that explained how he felt. But instead all that came out was one word.

"Why?"

"Because… because I was scared? Because I didn't know how you'd react? Steve, I swear I didn't know I was even pregnant until after I left." Cath wiped her face with a tissue.

"You could have phoned me!" Steve exclaimed, throws his arms out wide. "I know kids weren't in our plans but you knew that I wanted them… even if you clearly don't."

"What do you-?"

"I know that you were planning on giving her up for adoption." Steve spat the words out, shaking his head at the mere thought of it. "Not gonna happen."

Cath nodded. "I only did that because I thought you'd be too scared at the idea of a baby, Steve."

"Damn right I'm scared, especially right now" Steve said, but his lips briefly twitched into a small smile. "But I'm excited, too. I think _you're_ the one who freaked at the idea of having a baby."

"I'm sorry, Steve." Cath whispered, unable to look at her ex-lover. "You're right, I did freak out. It sort of messed up my plans for deployment for this mission, so I had to fast forward so that I could still fly and take part. I… never really wanted kids."

Steve felt his eye twitch. "'It' messed up your plans? 'It' happens to be _my daughter_ that you kept from me."

"I didn't mean to say it like that, Steve!" She cried. "I just… wanted her to go to a good home."

"Oh she will, don't worry about that." Steve pushed himself off of the wall. "I'll be staying with her here. And when the time comes, I'm taking her home with me. I want full custody, Cath."

* * *

Steve stood outside the entrance to the NICU and forced himself to calm down before he walked into the unit. As he made his way to his daughter's room, Steve caught a glimpse of other babies of various sizes and sickness that he missed in the rush before, and he moved to the side to let a family pass him, the mother carrying a baby in a car seat. His eyes wandered to the fairly normal-sized infant, and while he was happy for the family who were clearly going home, he sighed as he realised that his baby girl had a long way to go before she was going anywhere near a car seat.

Upon entering the room he felt the last of his anger fade away as he saw Danny dozing in a chair beside the incubator that held his daughter.

Holy shit. _He has a daughter._

It had all been such a blur after that phone call; scrambling to get a flight out here while various horrific scenarios ran through his brain, and then got to the hospital where his baby had been delivered _at fucking 25 weeks and still might die._ But then he saw the tiny person in the incubator and instantly fell in love with her. The overwhelming surge to protect and fight for her was what drove him to see Cath and demand full custody. She didn't even put up a fight, and agreed to sign whatever forms he needed.

Steve ran a hand over his mouth and sighed. His life as he knew it was changed forever, his sole focus now being his child, who he suddenly realised didn't even have a _name._ The board above her incubator said ' _Baby Girl McGarrett'_ , and while he probably would call her that for the rest of her life, other people might not be so keen.

"What time is it?" Danny mumbled as he stirred, pushing himself up where he'd slid down the chair.

"Honestly? I have no idea." Steve chuckled as he pushed himself off of the doorframe and approached the incubator and the chair next to Danny. "I don't even know what day it is." He groaned as he sank into the soft leather fabric, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"How you doing? You okay?" Danny asked, turning his head to look at Steve, who looked like he'd aged ten years in the last ten hours.

Steve didn't return his gaze, unable to tear his eyes away from his daughter. He felt worn ragged, hungry, thirsty, jet lagged and panicked… but he knew that his baby must feel ten times worse.

"It's not me you should be worried about, buddy." Steve finally whispered. "I'm not the one who's hooked up to a machine that breathes for me."

"I know, and believe me I'm scared for her, too. But that doesn't mean that I can't also worry about you. I had 9 months to get used to the idea of being a father; you've had a few hours." Danny said.

Steve looked at him and nodded his agreement before turning back to the incubator. After a little while one of the nurses came in to check the baby's vitals and machines, and Steve cleared his throat as she was about to leave.

"Sorry, but, can I… can I touch her? The doctor earlier said to start with light touches, but I don't know if I'm allowed…" Danny raised his eyebrows at the wobble in Steve's voice, and was surprised that he even asked at all.

"Of course! Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before you do. Your baby's responding well so far, at this stage we take it day by day, but as weeks go by her chances of recovery increase greatly."

"Thank you." Steve got up and scrubbed his hands so thoroughly Danny thought he was going to take a layer of skin off, before coming back to sit in his chair.

He held his breath as he carefully opened one of the porthole doors and slipped his hand inside. Steve bit his lip as he ran the backs of his fingers along his daughter's arm and up to cup her tiny head, being careful of the tubes and wires. He liked the baby's spunk, and felt tears prick at his eyes when the tiny girl batted at the intruding hand with her spindly arms.

"That's no way to treat your Daddy." Steve said quietly, and raised an eyebrow when the flailing stopped. He felt his heart stop entirely when two small eyes peeked out from underneath the pink knitted hat atop her head and stared at him, at the same time one of her minute hands grabbed a hold of his index finger. "Hey there, princess. Yeah that's right, I'm your Daddy." Steve beamed as he lightly ran his thumb over her hand, amazed at how perfectly formed her fingers were.

"I know it must seem scary in there, but everything is gonna be fine now. Know why? Because Daddy's here now." Steve ignored the tears on his face as he continued to hold his daughter's hand, and was therefore oblivious to Danny silently sitting next to him recording the whole thing on his cell phone.

* * *

The next few days passed by in a blur. Steve barely moved from the chair next to the incubator, and the only times he wasn't holding his daughter's hand was when she was being taken for tests or Steve was in the bathroom, in the corridor on his phone to organise legal custody, or when someone reminded him to eat something. Danny rolled his eyes when he came in one morning and discovered Steve huddled protectively over the incubator, sound asleep. He snapped a photo on his cell phone (because he couldn't deny it was one of the most adorable things he's ever seen; a Navy SEAL and a trained killer slumped over his newborn baby? Not an everyday thing.) before shaking the man awake with a grin.

"I just shut my eyes for a sec, Danno." Steve mumbled as he sat up, rubbing his eyes and groaning at the rude awakening.

"Yeah, God knows how many hours ago." Danny grinned at the sheepish look he got in return. . "Why you don't take the relatives room I'll never know, babe. They have a bed and a couch. But no, Mr. 'I Can Sleep Anywhere Super-SEAL' doesn't want comfort."

"I don't want her to be alone, Danny." Steve said quietly as he looked at his partner. "I know she can't see me, but… maybe she'll still know I'm there. That at least one of her parents cares about her."

Danny didn't really have an answer to that, other than to nod in agreement and shove his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, I just thought I'd check if you needed anything, pal. There's a few shops nearby apparently, I'm gonna grab a few essentials."

"Probably fresh clothes and toiletries, I guess. Thanks, Danno."

"No problem, babe." Danny smiled and shut the glass door to the room behind him, leaving Steve alone for the first time with his daughter.

Now, Steve McGarrett is a born leader. He's in charge, and he doesn't take orders from anyone unless they're a senior rank (and even then he grumbles about it). But here in the NICU Steve does anything the nurses ask of him in regards to his baby if it means that he can touch her.

The day before, a nurse came in and raised an eyebrow as Steve moved his chair back so she could get in, and couldn't help but notice how he kept rubbing his thumb over the index finger that his daughter held. She knew that it must be awful to have a porthole as the only way to touch your baby.

"Come on, Dad, you can help me change her bedsheets." She said. "I need someone to hold her." Steve's eyes widened at the offer.

"Really?" He grinned as she nodded, and stood up so fast that the chair he was sitting in almost tipped over.

The nurse opened the lid to the incubator and Steve ignored how his hands were shaking as he carefully picked his daughter up, supporting her head with one hand and her butt with the other. While the nurse swapped the sheets over he marvelled at how she fit snugly in his hands and how strongly she protested when he gently lowered her back down.

"Your little girl's a fighter," The nurse said once she closed the lid, much to Steve's dismay. "She'll be in your arms before you know it, Commander."

Steve could only nod in response, not trusting his voice at all. All he could think about was how soft her skin felt in his rough hands.

* * *

"It's not always gonna be like this, I promise." Steve said later on, the finger of one hand back to being clasped by his daughter's tiny smaller one and his other hand hovering over her legs, every so often his fingers brushing against her feet. "You'll get to meet all of your aunties and uncles back home. It's so far away, but we'll get there. You'll see… it's not just wires and plastic tubes."

Steve wanted to wipe his face, but he didn't want to let go even for a second. So he let the tears fall as he carried on.

"Auntie Kono will teach you how to surf, and Uncle Chin will probably join us at throwing a football around. Uncle Lou does a great barbeque, but if he tries to teach you how to play golf please ignore him. And then there's Danno…"

At that point, Danny appeared in the doorway, arms laden with bags from his shopping trip. He didn't want to intrude on what was quite clearly meant to be a private moment between father and daughter, but Danny was slightly curious as to what Steve would say.

"He's Daddy's best friend. He's really loud, of course. And sometimes he's mad. But he will love you more than anything in the world, baby girl. He'll love you so much. He's got a daughter and a son already, and I know that Grace is real excited to meet you. Something about making it almost even now, but I dunno what that means. But anyway… you'll probably see Danno a lot, as Daddy will try and make him stay and help us. Well, help me anyway." Steve laughed quietly, even though he knew that Danny probably would insist on all-but moving in as soon as they got back to Hawaii.

"I'm sure that your Danno will want to take you to a Bon Jovi concert, if he can keep going long enough, and get you on his shoulders for the big numbers. There's a beach at the back of our house, and you'll tread sand all through the house and I'll find it days later. You'll dance in your jammies to… probably whatever Danno plays, his music taste is better than mine. But that's our little secret, baby. Besides, I'll always dance with you. You'll hold my hand and I'll take you to school and you'll make loads of friends whose names I'll try real hard to remember. And when the bell rings at the end of the day, I'll be there waiting for you."

Danny sniffed and wiped his nose on his jacket sleeve. Steve whipped his head round at the sound, and smiled at his partner. "How… how long-" Danny cut off his croaky voice.

"Of course I'll love her more than anything. And she might get a better view on your shoulders, buddy." He said, coming forward to dump the bags on the couch before smiling into the incubator. "Hey, princess, how was your scan?"

Steve smiled sadly as he carefully wiggled the finger being held captive. "Lungs look okay, which is a good sign. But we didn't like it."

"'We?' Didn't know they allowed guests in there?" Danny raised an eyebrow and smiled as a blush crept up Steve's face.

"I know it was only an hour but… I missed her." He shook his head. "I've only known her for a few days and I didn't know what to do for that hour without her."

Danny squeezed his shoulder, understanding those emotions all too well. "She's your baby, and she's sick. Glad to see the nurses finally made you shower and shave though."

Steve rolled his eyes at Danny, not answering him so as not to give him the satisfaction of being right, before roaming his eyes over the bags. "What did you get, anyway? The doctors said I can't take her home for months yet."

"I know babe, I was there. But doesn't mean that she doesn't need stuff." Danny explained as he rifled through one of the bags. "You can tape pictures to the incubator so she can see people once her eyes open. I got her some toys, they had a giraffe blankie which I'm sorry, but she will love if she has any sense. And they did have some preemie babygrows, but…" He held one up and frowned. "They might still be too big for now. Whatcha reckon, babe?"

Steve opened his mouth to speak, but as soon as he saw the words _Daddy's Little Princess_ on the tiny (but yes, still too big) onesie, all he could make was a cross between a sob and a cough that he regrettably had to withdraw the hand from over his baby's legs to try and hide. Danny, who knew exactly what reaction Steve would have, was instantly next to him with a fresh box of tissues.

Wordlessly Danny sat next to him on the spare chair and pulled him into his side when the tears started. Steve was determined to keep the small point of contact with his baby as he leaned over, and used his free hand to snag some tissues out of his partners hand.

"Hit home, has it babe?" Danny asked carefully.

Steve shakily nodded, swallowing endlessly past a lump that wouldn't go. "Thought it did earlier but… seeing those words really hammered it in." He cringed at how ragged his voice sounded. "And all that stuff to take her _home._ "

"Yeah," Danny smiled, remembering how he felt exactly the same when he saw Grace's first outfit. "But you still need to think of a name for her, babe."

"I like 'Sarah'." Steve said quietly after a few minutes. "Because she _is_ a princess."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "You just think that up?"

Steve shook his head. "Nah, I did some Googling when I couldn't sleep." He bit his lip as he cast a side glance at Danny. "But then I also like 'Abigail'".

"'Father's joy'," Danny nodded. "Very good. You know, she could have that as her middle name?"

"Yeah…" Steve grinned down at his daughter, whose eyes were open and looking up at him. "You like the sound of that, baby?" She blinked, and even though Steve knew that she couldn't hear or much less understand him, he took that as a 'yes'.

"Sounds good to me too," He tried to subtly brush a stray tear away but Danny noticed and passed him another tissue. "Sarah Abigail McGarrett."

Danny squeezed his shoulder and smiled. He felt his heart flutter as he stared at Steve, who was enjoying watching his daughter follow his fingers as he moved them around the top of the incubator. But now really wasn't the time to think about this feelings that he's been having, Danny told himself. Steve would need his support over the next few months and when they got home.

* * *

Danny has known Steve for a long time, so he knows that patience is not one of the man's strong points. He knew that aside from taking Sarah home, his one wish was to hold his girl properly. But every time Steve asked the doctors and nurses - sometimes multiple times a day - they all gave him the same answer.

"When she's strong enough and can control her temperature, Commander. I'm sorry."

Steve knew that these rules were in place for a reason, but that didn't stop the disappointment that followed. Danny knew that only being able to touch his daughter through a porthole and watch her be confined to the incubator must be doing a number on Steve, and he wished for both their sakes that she got stronger soon.

Fortunately, his wish was granted a few weeks later.

Sarah had gained some weight and slightly grown, and the doctors were pleased with her progress. She had even been weaned off of the ventilator and was breathing on her own. Not as much as Steve of course, who had become a permanent fixture next to her incubator and could see first hand the improvements his baby was making.

"Today's your lucky day, Steve!" A nurse said as she came into the room followed by one of the doctors. Steve frowned at Danny in confusion before looking back at the nurse, but then it dawned on his why she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my god." Steve mumbled as he watched the nurse open the incubator lid and start to disconnect some of the unnecessary wires that were connected to Sarah. Danny nudged at Steve and gestured to his shirt, and the brunette suddenly remembered what Danny told him about babies loving skin-to-skin contact and stripped off his shirt in record timing with trembling hands.

"Are you ready?" Steve eagerly nodded, his eyes fixed on his wriggling girl as she was lifted out. He could feel his heart was racing, but he didn't dare breathe or move a muscle as, _finally,_ the nurse settled Sarah onto his chest.

Steve instantly brought his hands up to hold his daughter and the blankets that had been placed over her, one hand cradling her head that now sported tufts of dark hair. Sarah opened her eyes at her new surroundings and looked up, her gaze locking with that of her father's.

"Hey, princess," Steve whispered as he stared into eyes that he was fairly sure were now almost the same colour as his own. "You comfy on Daddy?"

Sarah's answer was to wriggle and tug at his chest hair with her little hands while making a tiny noise. The cry went straight to Steve's heart as he let himself relax back into the chair, vaguely aware that Danny was taking photos on his cell.

"She's so strong, Danno," Steve choked out, not caring that he was a sobbing, laughing mess and his daughter cried as she moved around on his chest. Then she smiled, the first proper smile that either man has seen on her, as she settled with her head resting over Steve's heart.

Danny rubbed at his eyes with his spare hand before offering Steve a tissue. He shook his head before turning his attention back to the precious bundle on his chest.

"We'll give you a shout when she has to go back, but don't worry, it won't be for a while yet." The nurse winked at Steve as she ushered the doctor out after they checked Sarah's vitals.

"She asleep, babe?" Danny whispered as he sat next to Steve and lightly ran his fingers down her back. Steve nodded, and Danny didn't think he'd ever seen him look so happy.

"I hope I make her proud, Danny." He whispered. "I hope I do a good job and she doesn't end up as messed up as me."

Danny rolled his eyes as he threw an arm around Steve's shoulders and leaned into his side, his other hand still stroking Sarah's back as she slept.

"Look at me, Steve." Steve turned his head and swallowed past a lump in his throat as he saw how close Danny was to him. "Remember when you were sitting here in those first few days, telling your girl all about Hawaii and her family back home?"

Steve nodded, and Danny continued. "All those things… of course I'm gonna be there to help you, babe. Because I want Sarah to have all those things, to have people around her who love her as she grows up. And because I love you. You shouldn't have to do this alone, even though I know you'll make a great Dad anyway. I know that because you already _are_ one - you've sat in this chair every day for the past month watching her get better after only finding out that she even existed not even 24 hours before."

"I love you too, Danny…" Steve whispered, not daring to hope that he would have both of his dreams come true on the same day but there was something inside him that urged him to carry on, that maybe Danny _does indeed_ feel the same way about him. "Does this mean that you'll… be her Danno? Do things like braid her hair and coach her softball team?"

Danny beamed. "Of course I'll be her Danno." Both men then looked down as Sarah grabbed ahold of one of Danny's fingers from where his hand had slid to rest on Steve's chest. "Looks like she's chosen me anyway, and ladies are always right."

"Must run in the family." Steve smirked as he softly pressed his lips against Danny's, feeling like the happiest man in the world as the blonde man returned the kiss.

* * *

Neither man noticed that they were being watched through the glass walls of the room.

"Hey, Tracey, looks like you owe me $20!"

"Really, no way, I don't believe - oh no, they're definitely kissing. Damn, girl."

"Told you that they'd get together before McGarrett's baby goes home! Now come on, pay up."


	2. Chapter 2

_2 months later_

"Hey, come on! Stop squirming for a sec, baby…" Steve mumbled as he finished putting a clean diaper on Sarah, ignoring how she kicked out at him. "There, all done. Daddy's finished now!"

Steve sighed as Sarah continued to wriggle around in her incubator, limbs going every which way, so he scooped her up and settled her into his arms.

"Come on, princess, let's have a wander while we wait for Danno to come back." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her rosy cheeks before setting off.

Walking round the NICU's step-down unit, which Sarah had been moved to after finally gaining weight and growing stronger, had become a daily ritual for the two of them. After spending so long cooped up in one room and in the incubator, Steve was thrilled that she didn't need constant monitoring and that he could properly touch and hold her more often.

His baby was now just over three months old and Steve marvelled at how much she'd grown in that time - and how he'd grown with her as a person and a father. He'd always wanted kids but never thought it would happen, so he threw himself into being Uncle Steve to Grace and Charlie. Steve now understood even more why Danny fought so hard to keep Grace in his life and even gave his bone marrow to Charlie after only knowing that he was his father for a short time. He smiled as he looked down at Sarah and realised that he would do exactly the same thing for her in a heartbeat.

"Ahhh ow!" Steve grimaced as he looked down to see that Sarah had burrowed into his chest and had found his nipple through his shirt, and was determined to hold onto it with her toothless gums. "If you're gonna chew something, please don't chew that."

After making sure that he could support her with one arm, Steve convinced her to latch onto the index finger of his free hand, much to the relief of his nipple. A quick glance at the clock above the nurses station saw that clearly Sarah knew it was lunchtime, so Steve called time on their walk and headed back.

Over the last week the nurses had been teaching Steve how to make formula up. It took a few goes, and Danny laughed when he called him after the first attempt and found out that what Steve made bore a close resemblance to oatmeal, but finally he'd been deemed competent to do it.

After fixing up a bottle - one handed because every time he set Sarah down she'd cry harder and the sound went straight to his heart - Steve settled himself into the recliner chair next to the incubator. He smirked as his daughter latched onto the plastic teat and hungrily drank, and Steve couldn't help but stare at her and take in her features, like he always did when she was still enough for him to do so. He knew that he was bias, but he truly had never seen a more beautiful human being. She'd grown, but was still smaller than other babies her age and the doctors reassured Steve that by her first birthday she should be almost on track. Whenever Sarah smiles and reaches out for him Steve burns with pride and the knowledge that his baby girl knows him and wants him, and generally settles once she's in his arms.

She knows Danny too, and cries whenever he goes home. Steve felt guilty once they'd been at the hospital for a month and that meant that Danny hadn't seen his children, and so told him to go back to Hawaii. Danny only agreed on the condition that he'd fly back whenever he could, as both of them knew that Steve needed Danny with him for support. It pained Steve to make that decision, but he couldn't keep Danny away from Grace and Charlie knowing that they missed him.

Steve blinked out of his daydream when he noticed that Sarah had finished drinking and was gazing up at him. He set the empty bottle aside and burped her like the nurses told him to, before settling her back into the incubator and wrapped her in blankets, his fingers lingering on her smiling face.

"It's Daddy's turn for some lunch now, otherwise Danno will be mad at me for not eating when he gets here."

"Just as well I brought you some, then."

Steve looked up at the sound of Danny's voice, his tone belaying the serious expression on his face, and smiled as the blonde man walked over to where he was stood. Sarah beamed when Danny reached down and tickled her belly, and Steve couldn't resist pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

"Hi," Steve breathed against his cheek when they both came up for air. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, even though you forgot to eat _again._ " Danny sighed as he thrust a brown paper bag containing Steve's lunch into the man's hands and forced him into the recliner. "Honestly, if I wasn't here I wonder if you'd eat at all."

Steve frowned at him around the mouthful of tuna sandwich, and Danny bit back a laugh at the picture Steve painted. "I would," he said after swallowing. "Besides, at least tomorrow we can go back with you, and I'm sure you'll force feed me on the plane."

"I can't believe they've finally given you the all clear to come home," Danny said to Sarah, who smiled back at him. "Three months, eh? But now you get to drive your Daddy crazy forever. Hey babe, there's something in my bag I need, can you grab it please?" He glanced at Steve.

Steve rummaged around in his rucksack but found nothing Danny would need right now, only his clean clothes for tomorrow. "Danny, there's nothing in here - oh." He froze as his hand brushed against something soft, and Danny smiled and watched Steve's face as he pulled out the preemie onesie that he bought Sarah not long after they got to the hospital.

"' _Daddy's Little Princess'_ ," Steve whispered as he rubbed a thumb over the printed words, before standing up to join Danny at his daughter's side. He looked at his girl, then back at the onesie. "Looks like it might fit now."

The weight of Danny's hand on the small of his back grounded Steve as he carefully removed the hospital issued outfit from Sarah and slipped the new one on, and Steve had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from crying as it was pretty much a perfect fit. Danny chuckled as after a brief look of confusion Sarah flailed her limbs and made a happy noise.

"Much better, munchkin." He said. "Right, I'm not waiting anymore. Flown 16 hours to be here and I think that's at least worth a cuddle."

Steve watched silently as Danny lifted Sarah out and settled in the recliner with a groan of relief, and felt his chest tighten as he watched his baby wriggle around on Danny's chest before eventually succumbing to sleep. He couldn't explain it, but seeing Sarah in clothes that were _theirs_ and not hospital issued sparked fear inside of him.

He'd been here since the day that his child was born, and was confident in his abilities to look after her, thank you very much. And while he'd been looking forward to they day when he could finally take her home since he arrived, Steve suddenly… didn't want to leave.

"Hey, c'mere," Danny reached out and tugged him into the chair next to him, linking the fingers of one hand with Steve's. "What's goin' on in your head, babe?"

Steve opened his mouth to argue that he was fine, but one look at Danny and his sleeping daughter and his fears tumbled out of his mouth.

"I've waited for this for so long, but… I'm scared, Danno." Steve whispered, reaching over to cover Danny's hand on Sarah's back with his own. "Being away from the hospital, what if something happens? At least here there's…" He gestured around him at various pieces of equipment.

"I know they wouldn't let her go home if they were worried, but… that doesn't stop _me_ from worrying about her."

Danny nodded in understanding. "You're her dad, buddy. It's your job to worry about her for the rest of your life. But Steve," He slipped his hand out from under Steve's, and the brunette toyed with the soft wisps of dark hair on Sarah's head. "She belongs at home. Toys and stuff are gonna clutter up your house, and you can kiss a good night's sleep goodbye for the next few years. And because she's your kid, she'll probably give as good as she gets in terms of stubbornness. Don't you want that?

Steve grinned at Danny's words and nodded, the fear evaporating from his body. "More than anything. I can't wait to have all of that."

"There you go then." Danny beamed as Steve realised that he'd effectively answered his own question. He wordlessly lifted his free arm when the brunette moved his chair as close as possible and rested his head on Danny's collarbone, and held Steve as they both stared down at Sarah, still asleep on Danny's chest.

"Hey, got a surprise for you, babe." Steve held Sarah steady while Danny dug his cell phone out of his jeans pocket. He pressed and swiped a few times before a picture appeared on the screen. "Everyone's helped me get it ready. I know you might have wanted to do it yourself, but it needs to be all set for when we come home..."

Steve blinked furiously in at attempt to stop the tears the threatened to fall as he stared at the image on the screen. "My baby's got her own room," He sniffed. "Danno… it looks amazing! She's got her own crib, her own clothes… she's got everything."

Danny smiled against Steve lips when he leant up for a kiss, the arm around his shoulders toying with the hair at the nape of his partner's neck.

"And so do I." Steve whispered after breaking away, lips parted as he gazed starstruck at his lover as his thumb rubbed Sarah's back when she began to stir. "I've got a beautiful baby girl, and now I've got you and your beautiful kids… I never thought I'd get this lucky."

"Not gonna lie, I never thought I'd be doing the whole 'bringing up a baby' thing again, much less one that isn't mine." Danny said quietly as he stared at Sarah, before turning his gaze to Steve whose face was inches away from his own. "But I can't wait to be a part of Sarah's life, and that I get to do it with _you_ means the world."

* * *

Finally tomorrow came, and Steve felt like he was walking on air as he lifted Sarah out of the incubator and settled her into the car seat that he'd bought a few days before. As if she knew that she was going home, Sarah was bubbly and full of energy, and Steve smirked as she hit Danny in the face with a soft toy when he leant down to kiss her cheek.

He ran a hand down his face and scratched at his jaw as he watched Danny play with his daughter and felt his heartbeat quicken as he saw the packed bags around him. Steve looked around the room that they'd spent the best part of two months in, where he'd slept in a recliner next to the incubator - the very same chair that the car seat holding his daughter was on.

Steve remembered that day that he first laid eyes on Sarah when she was just a few hours old. She was a tiny little red thing hooked up to dozens of machines to keep her alive, and he knew then. He knew that he was in love with her and would do whatever it takes to make her better so that he could take her home with him.

He'd sat by her side every day and watched as she underwent countless tests and examinations, but she proved that she was a true McGarrett when she became stronger as the days went into weeks - and three months later they were finally leaving the hospital.

Another shriek from Sarah draws Steve's attention and he blinked as his mind returned to the present. He grinned as he bent down to pick up the toy that Sarah had dropped on the floor.

"Here you go, princess," he said as he handed it to Sarah. "Try and keep ahold of it, yeah?"

Sarah's reaction was to burst out laughing and kick her legs out, and the new sound went straight to Steve's heart. After a minute or so he'd picked his jaw up from the floor and shook his head as he picked up the car seat.

"Ready, babe?" Danny asked, rucksacks slung over his shoulders and carrying the remaining bags.

Steve walked over to Danny and used his free hand to tip his face up, softly kissing his blonde partner. Both men smiled at each other before turning their attention to Sarah who was 'talking' up at them.

"Yeah, I'm ready." Steve slid his hand down Danny's arm to link their fingers together, before they headed out of the room. "Let's go home."


	3. Chapter 3

Danny grimaced as he was jostled about in his seat thanks to another bout of turbulence. Sure, he wasn't enjoying it, but he was more keen for it to stop for Sarah's sake than his own. She was currently screaming blue murder each time the plane bumped up and down, and Steve was at his wits end with trying to calm her down.

"Sshh, please baby. It'll be all over soon." Steve was close to crying himself as he held his daughter to his chest and gently bounced her. He'd offered Sarah her pacifier, but she'd spat it God-only-knows-where, and he'd already changed her (that was _not_ an easy feat in an aeroplane bathroom). "Daddy's trying to make it better, I promise."

"I know it's hard to accept, but you might just need to let her get it all out, babe." Danny said, ignoring the glare from his partner. "Babies hate flying, they can't handle when their ears pop."

Steve sighed as he looked down at his baby, before an idea appeared into his head and he handed her to Danny. "Here, hold her for a sec." he said, resisting the urge to take her back when her cries got even louder as they were separated.

"Christ, I wish that kid would shut up!" A passenger a few rows behind them said to the person next to him, and Danny had to quickly latch onto Steve when his face darkened and he made to vault over his seat.

"No, Steve!"

"But he said-"

"I know, but do you really think you killing a man is going to help matters?" Danny breathed a sigh of relief when Steve slumped back into his seat, but raised an eyebrow when he pulled his shirt off. "What are you-"

Steve took Sarah and her blankets out of Danny's arms and settled her in his, before rummaging around in a bag and pulling out a bottle. He didn't think that she'd drink any of it, but was pleasantly surprised when she took half of the bottle with very little complaints.

He burped her, and then settled her against his bare chest. Much to Steve and Danny's relief, Sarah's loud cries had dwindled down to hiccups, and after some shuffling around as Steve covered the majority of her with her blankets to block out the light and gave her a fresh pacifier, she finally fell asleep.

"See, princess? Told you Daddy would make it better." Steve brushed his lips against the top of her head, the only part of her that was visible. His own eyelids were beginning to droop, and he smiled lazily at Danny when the blonde man lifted up the armrest that separated them, before shuffling over to rest his head against his.

Danny rolled his eyes at the sudden invasion of his personal space, but said nothing as he pulled Sarah's blankets up from where they'd slipped down. "I suppose you're gonna sleep now, too?"

Steve nodded. "Read that when baby sleeps, it's good for mom to sleep too." He mumbled.

"Even though you're not her mom?"

"I've gotta be both, Danny." Steve briefly glanced at him before looking down at Sarah. He nuzzled her head through her tiny knitted hat. "Cath doesn't wanna know, so I'm gonna have to be two people at once."

Danny knew that Steve was going to be torn up about Catherine and her plans for their baby for a long time; as a parent himself he couldn't even fathom the idea of giving up either of his children.

"Well you've got me now, babe. And I'll make you a deal." Steve raised an eyebrow at Danny, his cheek resting on Sarah's head. "You can be her dad and be wrapped round her little finger, and I'll be the mom who never let's her do anything fun."

"Happy to be wrapped round her finger if it means you talk to her about puberty." Danny shook his head at Steve as his partner gave him the puppy dog eyes. "But I call dibs on standing by the door with a shotgun when she brings her first boyfriend home."

"Well, even though I may join you by the door… deal."

Steve chuckled as his eyelids closed. He held his precious bundle close to his chest as he got comfortable against Danny's side, subtly stealing his body heat at the same time. Steve was starting to feel the chill that came with being on a plane, but he wasn't cold enough to wake his sleeping daughter and get his shirt back from where it was tangled with her blankets.

* * *

It was late by the time they finally got back to Steve's house. Danny thanked Chin for picking them up from the airport before going inside to find his partner, and found Steve staring in awe at everything in Sarah's room.

"You okay, babe?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, it's just… I dunno if I'm ready to leave her to sleep on her own yet." Steve said, his grip tightening on the car seat that Sarah was in. "What if she needs me during the night?"

Danny smiled and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Trust me, I get it. You're still a new dad, and especially with everything that's happened you're bound to get a bit of separation anxiety - both of you." Steve sheepishly averted his eyes, taking a great interest in the ornaments arranged on top of the chest of drawers. "But as much as you want to be with her all the time, you do need your own time as well, buddy. And we're only just round the corner if Sarah needs anything, aren't we?"

"I guess…" Steve scratched an itch on his jaw. "What if she starts crying and we don't hear her?"

"Got the baby monitor all set up in here and your room." Danny winked, and squeezed Steve's shoulder when he eventually nodded. He watched fondly as Steve lifted his sleeping daughter out of the car seat and settled her into the crib, hesitating slightly when Sarah stirred but she'd settled again once he'd swaddled her in blankets.

"Goodnight baby girl," Steve sighed in contentment as he ran his fingers through her full head of dark hair, before leaning down to press a kiss to each cheek. "Daddy loves you so much, and we're home now."

He made sure that the baby monitor was on before heading down the corridor to his bedroom, but doubled back just to get _one more_ look at his baby, plus he realised that he forgot to switch on Sarah's nightlight. But when Steve made it to his bedroom, the sight he was met with brought him to a standstill.

Danny was plugging his phone into the charger from where he was in Steve's bed. It wasn't a dramatic event, but for Steve it symbolised the start of a new chapter in his life. His heart skipped a beat as he realised that he could have this every night, and frantically stripped down to his boxers and threw his clothes in the general direction of the laundry basket before crawling into bed.

Steve sighed in relief as he all but sank into the mattress, giving himself a few minutes to come to terms with being in an actual bed for the first time in three months before rolling over to Danny's side with a grin.

"Hey, give a guy warning would ya!" Danny sighed as Steve plastered himself to his back and held him tight against his chest.

"Nope." Steve nuzzled the back of Danny's head and pressed kisses to the warm skin at the back of his neck.

"Figured, I mean why change the habit of a lifetime?"

Steve chuckled, and the vibrations sent shivers down Danny's spine and he felt his cock twitch in his boxers. But as much as he wanted to roll over and climb on top of Steve, he was just too tired. And judging by the way that Steve had settled behind him and his breathing had now evened out, he wasn't the only one.

Danny craned his head back and smiled as he saw that Steve was blissfully asleep, and he hoped that those worry and stress lines that had appeared on his face after months of sleeping in various chairs would fade now that they were home.

* * *

"Danny." Steve whispered, his larger frame still wrapped around Danny's smaller one. "Danno."

Danny moaned and batted Steve's hands away where they were tugging on his shirt. He shook his head and kept his eyes shut. "Too early, Steve."

Steve lifted his head to check Danny's phone on the nightstand and okay, it was the middle of the night and they'd only been in bed for a few hours. But he couldn't help that. He _needed_ Danny awake. "C'mon, please just wake up!"

"What?!" Danny rolled onto his back to glare up at Steve and was more than ready to rant and rave about how _this was not acceptable bedroom decorum, Steven_ , but was taken aback by the expression on his face. The curtains were open, and moonlight illuminated the majority of their bed - and therefore Steve's raw look was plain to see.

"I want… I want you." He admitted, briefly glancing down to where one of his legs was in between Danny's, his thigh brushing against the blonde man's boxer-clad groin. "Please, Danno."

Danny sighed as he ran a hand down Steve's back, carrying on until he reached the base of his spine. Clearly he'd found a sensitive spot there as Steve bucked his hips and thrust against his side, hiding his groan in Danny's neck. The action also had an effect on Danny, as Steve's thigh caused amazing friction as it rubbed against his cock.

"Jesus, babe. Fuck." Danny pressed Steve closer to him using that spot on his back in an attempt to get more pressure on himself. Steve rocked against Danny's side for a few minutes as they traded kisses, until Danny had had enough and all-but dragged Steve until he was flush on top of him, sandwiched snugly between Danny's spread legs. "Yeah. You sure?"

Steve made a quiet noise of confirmation as he nodded, before rutting against the man below him as Danny's hand snuck under the waistband of his boxers and squeezed his asscheeks. He gasped as Danny's hands roamed over his sizeable behind, scratching the coarse hairs at the start of his thighs and in the crease of his ass.

"Yeah, Danno," Steve pushed back into Danny's hands as he mouthed up Danny's neck until he could nip at the other man's lips. "Want you there."

Steve winked before sliding off to the side of Danny and kicking his boxers off, arching his back as he stretched his body. Not once did he break his gaze, and seeing Steve so relaxed made it even more hot.

"I see you've done this before." Danny asked as he turned onto his side and lightly brushed the fingertips of one hand across Steve's ass, relishing in the goosebumps his actions caused.

"Oh _yeeaahh,_ " The tone of his voice and the way the word was drawn out told Danny that Steve clearly liked it, and he suddenly felt all of his blood supply rush to his cock as he pictured Steve getting fucked by someone else. Danny quickly shucked his boxers as Steve reached over and rummaged in the bedside table's drawer before dropping a half-empty bottle of lube and a condom on the bed.

Danny ignored his shaking hands as he grabbed the bottle and squeezed some lube onto his fingers (and he absolutely wasn't thinking about _why_ it was half empty), before kneeling between Steve's spread legs. He bent down and pressed a kiss at that spot at the base of Steve's spine and chuckled when he whined and bucked against the pillow under his hips.

The first finger slipped inside, and Danny raised an eyebrow when Steve already started pushing back, but shrugged and quickly added a second finger.

"Shit," Steve grunted into the pillow. "Feels good."

"Looks good too." Danny smirked at Steve's groan as he started working him open, slower than what he knows the man beneath him wants.

Two fingers soon became three, and Steve was practically melting. Satisfied that he was open enough Danny withdrew his fingers and grabbed the condom, tearing the foil open with his teeth. He rolled the latex down his aching cock and bit his lip as he stared at Steve's ass, all ready for him.

"On your side, babe." Danny whispered. An eager Steve complied, and his heart hammered against his ribcage as he felt Danny press against him from behind. Steve craned his head back and moaned into the kiss that Danny gave him, still impatiently pushing his ass back into the blonde man's cock. "Yeah yeah, I know."

Danny lathered his cock in more lube before slipping it between Steve's ass cheeks and nudging against his hole, before finally pushing forward. Steve muffled his groan in his pillow as Danny entered him in one long movement, not wanting to wake his daughter who was sleeping down the hall.

"You feel so good, Steve, and tight." Danny nipped at his shoulder as he started a gentle rhythm of thrusting into him, one hand splayed over Steve's heart.

"More, please," Steve begged as Danny rearranged their legs and they each planted a foot on the bed. This caused Danny to go slightly deeper with his dick, and Steve sucked in a breath. "I need… I need-"

Danny shushed him by taking his earlobe between his teeth and sucking, while the hand on Steve's chest migrated down until he found the man's neglected cock. It twitched as soon as Danny wrapped his fingers around the shaft and started tugging in time with his thrusts. Steve whispered at the extra stimulation, and didn't know which one to focus on.

"It's okay babe, I've got you." Danny's other arm snaked under to hold Steve flush against him, and in the dead of night with only the moonlight illuminating their conjoined bodies and the creaking of the bedsprings joining their soft moans of pleasure as the only sounds in the room, Danny made love to Steve in ways that both of them had only dreamed of. Steve felt like every nerve in his body was on fire, with Danny around and inside him.

Steve was so far gone, so high on the release of endorphins that came with Danny now hitting his prostate with each thrust, that he probably didn't realise that he was saying " _Fuck me"_ under his breath over and over again. But Danny could hear him, and was all too happy to oblige. Steve whined as Danny drilled into him faster, harder, and lost the battle to hold himself still. He ended up on his front, Danny moving with him to plaster himself to his back and slide inside him again.

"Guh, Danny! Getting close!" Steve could feel that familiar heat pooling in his belly. Danny circled the tip of his cock with his thumb, spreading pre-cum down the shaft as he started to jack him off in earnest.

Danny panted in Steve's ear as he continued his ministrations, and his hand was slipping on Steve's sweat-slick chest. Steve's knuckles were white as he gripped his pillow, pushing back and forth between Danny's dick and his hand.

Suddenly Steve's eyes went wide and his mouth opened in a silent scream as he came, hot stripes of his come coating Danny's fingers and his chest.

"That's it babe," Danny whispered as he fucked Steve through his orgasm, "So fucking hot."

Steve shuddered as the aftershocks hit and Danny slowly withdrew his hands and his cock from his body. He stayed still, absolutely deflated of all energy, until Danny gently rolled him onto his back. Steve glanced down and could see that Danny's own cock was still rock solid and almost purple with need, and the man himself who was currently brushing his hair back with his clean hand was by far the most beautiful man he'd ever seen.

"Come on." Steve bent his knees and spread his legs, his arms splayed above his head.

"Fuck, Steve…" Danny smiled and dived down to claim Steve's lips in a bruising kiss. He watched Steve's face as he re-entered his body in one swift motion, and loved how the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and the smile spread across his face. Danny gasped as Steve clenched his muscles tight around his dick, and dragged his lips down to suck on a spot in the crook of Steve's neck.

With Steve's hands now gripping his ass so hard he was sure the man's fingernails would leave marks, Danny started pounding into him, Steve's softening cock bouncing against his thigh with each thrust. But then Steve tightened around him _again_ , and Danny grunted as he emptied his load into the condom, freezing on top of Steve as his balls were drained.

Danny opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't catch his breath enough to form words. All he could do was kiss every inch of Steve's skin that he could as he gently pulled out of him, before tying a knot in the condom and throwing it in the trash bin by the bed. Danny lowered himself down and sighed into the kiss that Steve was quick to offer.

"Beautiful. Y'know that?" Danny whispered as he kissed the tip of Steve's nose. "Beautiful."

Steve ran his hands down Danny's back as he tangled their legs together, clearly in no hurry to go anywhere or clean up their mess. "Love you, Danno." he said, nipping Danny's bottom lip with his teeth.

"Love you too, baby." Danny breathed against the other man's lips. Reluctantly he left the warmth of their bed to stagger to the bathroom, coming back with a damp washcloth which he used to clean his hands and the mess on Steve's chest. He even washed the leftover lube before it dried and stuck his asscheeks together. Steve lazily watched as his boyfriend cleaned him up, his heart beating a steady rhythm against his ribcage at the intimate act.

Danny then threw the cloth in the general direction of the bathroom before all but sinking down onto the mattress next to his lover, a hand running through Steve's sparse chest hair. As he lay on his side and traded soft kisses with him, Danny could already feel his eyelids drooping. He grabbed the covers up from where they'd been kicked down and was about to pull Steve into his arms, when the baby monitor's lights came on and Sarah's sobs could be heard through the speaker.

Both men sighed at the interruption, but Danny shook his head and smirked when Steve slowly made to get up. "I'll go, babe." he said, grabbing the first pair of shorts he could find. "You need to catch up on about three months worth of sleep."

"M'kay," Steve mumbled, his eyes following Danny as he left the room.

Steve turned over and buried his face in his pillow, finally closing his eyes as his breathing returned to normal. He grinned as he stretched his body from his head down to his toes, and although the post-coital bliss had been cut short after their first time, Steve truly felt like the luckiest man alive as he laid there and listened to Danny soothing his baby girl through the baby monitor.


End file.
